I always asked myself why male lions are the only cats with mane, the most distinctive characteristic of them. Someone said that it is used for sexual selection of mates by lionesses, which favours males with the densest and darkest mane.

After working in sculpting big cats, I realize that lions mane give them the appearance to be much bigger than they really are.

Lions are markedly territorial species, and males are almost exclusively dedicated to defend their “kingdoms”. It clearly explain why having a big mane –transmitting great strength- could be definitive.

Some researches suggest that darkest and longest maned individuals may have longer reproductive lives and higher offspring survival, although they can suffer more in the hottest months of the year. What is clear is that mane length signals fighting success in male–male relationships.

Contrary to what some people think, mane is not always an appropriate marker for identifying subspecies. Environmental factors, such as average ambient temperature, influence the color and size of a lion's mane. It also seems that the testosterone hormone is linked to mane growth. In fact castrated lions often have minimal to no mane.

Any way, mane size has been used to identify some subspecies. The almost extinct Barbary lion normally had an enormous dark mane. On the contrary, Senegal lions, in West Africa, are well known to be almost maneless. Asiatic lion usually have a moderate sandy mane in a very characteristic shape, growth at the top of the head, with their ears always visible, and scanty on the cheeks and throat with where it is only 10 cm long.

So, now that I am working in a new model of a Barbary Lion, which is, more or less about the same size of a Siberian tiger, I have to say that, despite I had an scrupulously care about the measures, the lion looks significantly bigger than the tiger.

You can see this effect on the following picture, showing my models of a siberian tiger and Southeastern african lion (although this tiger is significantly bigger than this lion) :

I second Susanne's words! This effect that the mane makes lions look significantly larger we can see in oour toys once lions and tigers are often made in a similar scale. So, when a distracted company uses to make big heads, lions get terrible. Unless one the vintage companies made a Barbary lion but I can't remember which. Those are impressive lions indeed. I am curious to see it finished and also the Asiatic lion.

Sounds interesting. Could you show some proces too? Or explain a bit more? I'm quite curious now

Yes, you have to sculpt your model adding small balls of polymer clay properly colored in accordance with the part of the body you are sculpting. Then once you give it the final texture, it is not necessary to paint it.

The disadvantage is that it is a heavier work.

The advantages are two. The first one is that the coat belongs to the model, not like an external layer of paint. You can perceive that it comes from the interior...The second one is that you can handle the model without the danger of removing the final layer an loose the color.